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H. G. REAGAN, Jr.

NG HEAT T0 THERMOGOUPLES. Patented Feb 16, 1897.

, APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AND APPLYI A'TToRN EY.

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r H. 0. REAGAN, J1". APPARATUS PORGBNERATING AND APPLYING HEAT TOTHERMOOOUPLES.

No. 577,270. I Patented Feb. 16, 1.897.

7H 6am PEYEPS 90., mmmunn, WASHINGTON n, a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HARRY o. REAGAN, JR, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AND APPLYING HEAT T0 THERMOCOUPLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 577,270, datedFebruary 16, 1897.

Application filed April 1, 1896. Serial No. 585,741. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY O. REAGAN, Jr. a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus forGenerating-and Applying Heat to Thermocouples, which improvement isfully set forth in the following specification and accompanyingdrawings.

My invention consists of a novel construction of apparatus forgenerating and applying heat to thermocouples for the generation ofelectricity, means being provided for applying heat as well as a coolingmedium to said couples, and provision being further made for utilizingto the highest degree all the heat units in the hot gases and theproducts of combustion.

It further consists of novel details of construction, all as will behereinafter set forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of an apparatus forgenerating and applying heat to thermocouples embodying my invention.Fig. 2 represents a vertical view of a modified form of apparatus. aFig. 3 repre sents a transverse sectional view of Fig. 1, showing therelative position of the thermocouples to the fire-tubes and theirinclosing tubes. Fig. 4 represents a longitudinal section, on anenlarged scale, of a portion of one of the thermocouples and itsadjuncts, showing certain details of the same which are omitted from theother figures for the sake of clearness of illustration.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates an apparatus for generating andapplying heat to thermocouples, the same consisting of an inclosingcasin g within which is contained the fire-chamber B, which is suppliedwith a grate, a fire-door, ash-pit, and other appurtenances of the usualconstruction.

D designates a water-leg or fire-box surrounding the combustion-chamber,which is in communication with the fire-chamber B by means ofconnecting-tubes G.

F designates fire-tubes which lead from the fire-chamber B to thesmoke-box O, the preferred manner of connecting the fire-box,combustion-chamber, and water-chambers and of securing in position thethermocouples be ing illustrated in Fig. 4, in which are shown certaindetails which have been omitted from Fig. 1 for the sake of clearness ofillustration.

The fire-tube F is surrounded by the watertube G, around which is placedthe casing or inclosing shell H, of any vitrified material, upon whichrest the thermocouples M and L, which are separated by means of theinsulation L antimony and bismuth being preferably utilized for saidcouples, although it is evident that other materials may be employed andthat the number of couples may be increased or diminished according torequirements.

K designates a casin g or shell, of a vitreous or a non-conductingmaterial, inclosing the outer edges of said couples, while the whole isinclosed between the pipe J, which may be of copper or similar material.

N designates an inclosing casing which surrounds said pipes J and theiradjuncts, and to which casing the water-leg E is attached.

P designates a pipe leading into said casin g for the purpose ofintroducing the cooling fluid thereinto, the same being conductedtherefrom by means of the exit-pipe Q.

S and R designate lower and upper manholes, respectively, for access tosaid casing N.

'l designates a hood which surrounds the casing N, the same beingseparated from the smoke-box G by means of the partition T said hoodhaving an outlet U, within which is located a fan or blower V for thepurpose of inducing a current of air to cool the thermo within thecasing N, it being understood that the manholes are open to theatmosphere, also to cause the air to pass through the tubes Z to coolthe thermo in the smoke-arch.

W designates a casing attached to the smoke-box O and hood '1,respectively, the side Y of the same, in conjunction with the side X,serving as tube-sheets and retaining therein the inner and outer tubes Zand A, within which are contained the thermocouples, it being understoodthat the inner and outer tubes are provided with vitrified linings orany non-conducting material, between which the couples are held in thesame manner as illustrated in Fig. 3.

C designates a stack leading from the upper portion of the casing WV,through which the products of combustion make their exit.

Fig. 2 designates a modified form of apparatus, the same consisting of asuitable'casing F, from which depends the water-leg E of said casing,having the upright fire-tubes G therein.

I-I designates laterallyextending tubes which project from said casing Fand are open to the interior of the same.

, J designates a casin g which surrounds said laterally-extending tubesand is provided with the exterior shell K, the whole forming a chamberL, within which the thermocouples M are inclosed, the cooling mediumbeing led into the said chamber L through the conduit L and dischargedtherefrom through the conduit L access being had to the interior throughthe medium of the openings M it being understood that the thermocouplesh are arranged substantially as seen in Fig. 4:.

N designates a stack leading from the hood D ,upon which is supportedthe annular cha mber S, between which and the annular waterjacket P arelocated the thermocouples P, the cooling fluid being introduced intosaid jacket through the pipe Q and having its exit therefrom through thepipe R.

The operation is as follows: Referring first to Fig. 1, the heat andproducts of combustion pass from the fire-chamber B and are conductedthrough the tubes F to the smokebox 0, thence to the casing W, and fromthere to the stack 0, the atmosphere or other cooling medium being drawnin the direction of the arrows through the tubes Z into the interior ofthe hood T, and thence out through the stack U by the rotation of thefan or blower V, it being remembered that the exterior of thethermocouples are simultaneously cooled by the introduction of a coolingmedium through the inlet P, the same having its exit through the pipe Q.In order to first create a circulation of cold air to cool the outerjunction of the thermos, I remove the caps from the manholes S and R inorder to let the air pass in around the tubes containing the thermos,and at the same time air will pass through the inner tubes of thethermos in the casing NV, and thus cool their junctions, which in thiscase would be the inner junctions.

The application of heat and cold to the thermocouples in the mannerdescribed will, as is familiar to those skilled in the art, generateelectricity, which may be conducted away from said couples in anysuitable man ner, the thermo elements being connected up in parallel orin series, as is evident, although I have not deemed it necessary toshow such construction in detail.

In the construction seen in Fig. 2 the heatgenerator is shown as beingplaced in vertical position, while the laterally-projecting tubes H arevitrified or surrounded by any material not a conductor of electricity,and

the thermocouples surround these tubes, as in Fig. 4, while, as in Fig.1, there is a cooling-jacket surrounding the tubes, as shown, and I alsoplace thermocouples on the stack N to get the benefit of the heat unitsof the escaping gases, thus utilizing every portion of the latter.

It will be seen that by vitrifying the tubes in the manner described thethermo junctions bear against the vitrified tubes, thereby preventing ashort circuit of the thermos, and that further the water being a greatabsorber of heat will retain the heat evolved from the fire while thethermocouples are taking their heat from the water, steam, or otherheatabsorbing agent, and even if the fire was extinguished the thermoswould still be supplied with heat from the steam, hot water, or otherheatabsorbin g agent which is contained within the casin g constitutingthe boiler, it being of course understood that ordinarily no steam isWithdrawn from the boiler, the same after having been once filled beingtightly closed.

It will be apparent that conductors, as A B may be employed, leadingfrom the thermos to the battery 0 or the lights D and that the thermosmaybe connected up in such other manner as may be desirable. It willalso be understood that I may use any form of pipe or tube projectingfrom a heat-generating device on which the thermos may be mounted, as inFig. 2 I show straight tubes projecting from the heat-generating chamberwhich may be of any length or shape and may bend around and have bothends open to or project into the boiler. It is also apparent that I mayuse any fuel in operating this device, such as oil, coal, gas, or othercombustible matter.

It is to be understood that I do not confine myself to the specificconstruction shown, but I can use such forms as come within the scope ofmy invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A boiler provided with water-tubes, fire tubes passing through thelatter, a series of thermocouples supported upon said watertubes andmeans for holding said couples in position, substantially as described.

2. A steam or heat generator consisting of a fire-box, a smoke-box, anda water-jacket, fire-tubes connecting the combustion-chamber andsmoke-boxes, and water-tubes connecting the water-legs, in combinationwith thermocouples supported upon said watertubes, substantially asdescribed.

3. A boiler consisting of water-tubes, a water-leg and a smoke-box,fire-tubes connecting the latter and the combustion-chamber, water-tubesconnecting the water-legs and surrounding said fire-tubes, a lining ofvitreous or other non-conducting material surrounding the saidwater-tubes, thermocouples supported upon said lining, a second liningof vitreous or other non-conducting IDS material inclosing said couples,and an inclosing tube surrounding said non-conducting linings andcouples, substantially as de scribed.

4. A boilerhaving water-legs, and a smokeboX, connections between saidwater-legs and smoke-box, a combustion-chamber, an auxiliary casingattached to said smoke-box, a hood mounted on said boiler, a partitionbetween said smoke-box and hood, air-tubes communicating with theatmosphere and the interior of said hood, a casing surrounding the saidair tubes, thermocouples located within said casing, and adraft-inducing device located in the outlet of said hood, substantiallyas described.

5. In a device of the character described, a water-tube, a vitreous ornon -conducting lining surrounding the same, thermocouples supportedupon said lining, another non-conducting lining inclosing said couples,and tubes of copper or other suitable material inclosing the whole,substantially as described.

(3. A boiler provided with firetubes,watertubes surrounding the same,thermocouples supported upon said water-tubes, a casing surrounding thewhole, means for conducting air or other cooling medium around saidcasing, a hood supported upon said boiler, and

means for creating a draft in said hood, substantially as described.

7. A steam-boiler, having water-tubes projecting therefrom, a series ofthermocouples supported upon said tubes a casing surrounding the latterand said couples, and means for passing a cooling medium through saidcasing, substantially as described.

8. A casing, having an open-ended tube secured therein, thermocouplessupported upon said tube, a casing inolosing said couples, means forheating said last-mentioned casing and means for cooling said tube,substantially as described.

9. A boiler provided with water-tubes, firetubes passing through thelatter, a series of thermocouples supported upon said watertubes, meansfor holding said couples in position, a casing in communication withsaid fire-tubes, open-ended tubes secured in said casing, thermocouplessupported thereupon, a casing inclosing said couples, and means forheating and cooling the latter, substantially as described.

HARRY C. REAGAN, J R.

lVitncsses:

JOHN A. \VIEDERSHEIM, E. H. FAIRBANKS.

